Wildfires occur all the time all over the world. They have a significant presence in the US Southwest and are growing more intense as overgrowth has increased and as climate changes lead to drier conditions. They can have both destructive and regenerative effects. Occasional fires can prevent larger more destructive fires by limiting fuel sources but wildfire suppression remains a common goal particularly in urban-wildland interface areas where immediate property damage and public safety issues dominate. When the goal is to suppress or eliminate a wildfire, manpower mobilization, cost, and rapid resource availability can be critical and controlling issues.
A need exists for reducing wildfire fighting costs, reducing risks involved in fighting the fires, and reducing damage caused by such fires. Put another way, a need to gain more rapid control and containment of wildfires exists.